Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-06-08

Southern women, with their winning
ways would get his permission to
carry with them enough contraband
goods to supply the Southern army ~
The period between the two visits to
Washington, just quoted, was spent by
the Hancock family in Los Angeles,
CAL Many were the adventures had
with the Indians, and on one occasion
some chiefs who were present at the
house and heard Mrs. Hancock playing
on the piano, left in high dudgeon be-
cause the ''.Big Captain would not
make trade with them, exchanging
his '.sguaw and music, table" for ponies
and robes.
THE sURRATT EXECUTION. q
d Mrs. Hancock handles the Mrs. Sur
ratt matter in vigorous style. ..The at
tempt to make General Hancock in any
way responsible for the trial and execu-
ton of Mrs. Surratt is as unfair a charge
as any man has ever been called upon
to meet, and he never cared to discuss
it, SO obvious to all intelligent and fair
minded people did he consider its injus-
tice. The troops, 100000 men, were
under his entire control, including those
that guarded the prisoners. All orders
came to him from the Secretary Of War
and through him to General Hartranft,
who was the governor of the military
prison and who had Immediate charge
of the prisoners and gave the verbal
order for the execution.
General Hancock never understood
why he should be held responsible for
that unhappy execution, as cruel a
spectacle as ever stained the escutcheon
of a nation. President johnson was
wholly responsible for it. Not once,
but many times, did my husband urge
upon the President unanswerable
reasons for granting a pardon. He
would reply that he could not, that the
execution was demanded by many
prominent men of his party, and a por-
ton Of his Cabinet were as uncom-
promising as the other. The question
has many times been asked and re-
manned unanswered: Why did General
Hancock consider it necessary to be
present at the execution? For the i'm
portant reason that Miss Surratt had
gond to the President at the last
moment by his advice to plead for a
pardon for her. mother, and it was
hoped up to the last moment that re-
prieYe would come. This fact neces-
STATED his presence at the arsenal to
receive it from his couriers stationed at
intervals along the route from the
| White House to the arsenal, in order
that if the President relented and
granted a reprieve not moment would
be lost in reaching him. To the court
that tried Mrs. Surratt belongs the
odium, and the President, Secretary of
War, and Jud ge-Advocate General may
all be criticised for the part they took
in carrying out the decree of the COM
mission"
''He was not without his faults, nor
was he incapable of enemities. On the
contrary, with his peculiar Temporal
ment and a frankness thoroughly
characteristic, his Intentions and mo-
tives were many times misunderstood.
When at fault himself he quickly made
amends. In concluding my recollec-
tions l wish to say, if nothing more
could be claimed for my husband other
than his devotion to duty and strong
principles of liberty, which he had the
moral courage to proclaim in face of
political fanaticism-these constitute
a remembrance worthy of this perfect
soldier, patriot, husband and father,
from the beginning of his eventful
career until the hour in which he was
called upon to yield up his pure soul
to God" S. S., IN Philadelphia Press.
Col Newball.s vvor Horea